Apparatus for looping string around tobacco leaves



May 19, 1964 w, BELL, JR 3,133,650

APPARATUS FOR LOOPING STRING AROUND TOBACCO LEAVES Filed Dec. 26, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOHN w. BELL, JR.

ATTORNEY May 19, 1964 J. w. BELL, JR

APPARATUS FOR LOOPING STRING AROUND TOBACCO LEAVES Filed Dec. 26, 1 961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 5 1. 1 4 l w m 3nd N w KID 5 I 7 M W\ J 5 3 m. A 6 M w .x\ mw wv a |l J L 5 Q lfi 5 6 O r m 4 6 INVENTOR JOHN w. BELL, JR.

BY Wvvk ATTORNEY y 19, 1964 w. BELL, JR 3,133,650

APPARATUS FOR LOOPING STRING AROUND TOBACCO LEAVES Filed D60. 26, 1961 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 so l 42 D F' INVENTOR JOHN w. BELL,JR.

BY bug.

ATTORNEY May 19, 1964 w. L JR 3,133,650

APPARATUS FOR LOOPING STRING AROUND TOBACCO LEAVES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 26, 1961 Ill 92 E 8 HO :7 .:J A .7 l 117 9 INVENTOR JOHN W. BELL JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,133,650 APPARATUS FOR LOOPING STRING ARDUND TOBACCG LEAVES John W. Bell, Jr., 141 W. 19th St., Paris, Ky. Filed Dec. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 162,147 Claims. (Cl. 214-55) This invention relates to apparatus for looping string around tobacco leaves preparatory to the curing of such tobacco, and more particularly to an improved apparatus in which malfunctioning of the string positioning components is substantially reduced, if not entirely eliminated.

The nature of freshly primed tobacco leaves and the environmental conditions under which they are normally handled, requires a construction of string looping apparatus which will continue to function properly even when handled carelessly; when subjected to vibration or shock; and when used in the presence of dirt, gum, sap and moisture. Not only should such apparatus be sturdy and as simple as possible, but also the parts which guide and position the string in its passage through the looping operation should be constructed so as to avoid slack, kinking and improper movement of that string.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for looping string around tobacco leaves and including a reliably operating reciprocable needle cooperating with an oscillatory loop forming member.

Another object is to provide a compact, sturdy and simple apparatus for looping string around tobacco leaves and with the movable string engaging elements of the apparatus being constructed and actuated so as to substantially eliminate stoppage due to malfunctioning in the positioning of the string.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus as viewed from the operators position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the needle-actuating slide.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the slide and its mounting taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 and to a larger scale, but with the cam plate at an intermediate position corresponding to that shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 and extended to show the entire vertical height of the mounting for the slide.

FIG. 5 is a face view of the cam plate carried by the slide and with the slide at an intermediate position of travel.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the leaf-indexing shield and the shelf thereon, shown detached from the support.

FIG. 7A is a diagrammatic view of the shelf, needle and looping member with the apparatus empty of tobacco, as seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7B is a diagrammatic view of the same parts as in FIG. 7A, and with the first group of leaves partially looped.

FIG. 7C is a view similar to FIG. 7A and showing the completion of the first cycle with the first group of leaves fully looped.

FIG. 7D is a view similar to FIG. 7B and showing the second group of leaves partially looped.

FIG. 8 is a vertical view taken on line 88 of FIG. 7B and to a larger scale,

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a portion of the shelf as taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 7B.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the looping member.

FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of the looping member.

FIG. 12 is a rear elevation view of the looping member.

3,133,650 Patented May 19., 1964 FIG. 13 is a face view of the looping member confronting the tip of the needle, and

FIG. 14 is an elevation view of the needle taken on the string-entering side of the same.

In accordance with the invention there is provided an apparatus for looping string around tobacco leaves in the manner generally disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 74,247, filed December 7, 1960, now Patent No. 3,115,799, and wherein the present invention employs an improved combination of string positioning components in order to avoid stoppages or malfunctioning of the apparatus.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, the apparatus may be supported upon a rigid member 10 which in turn may be stationary or may be carried upon a movable vehicle as taught by said co-pending application. Rigidly attached to the member It is a horizontally extending support plate 11 to which a vertically extending bearing plate 12 is rigidly attached. The support plate may conveniently serve as a mount for a string supply post and string storage means, as shown in said application, but omitted herefrom for purposes of clarity since it forms no part of the present invention.

Projecting laterally from the bearing plate and rigidly attached thereto is a shield and leaf-indexing member, as best shown in FIG. 6. This shield includes a generally horizontally shelf portion 13 and a generally vertical back wall portion 14. The shelf portion nearer the operator of the apparatus is curved downwardly as at 15 in order to assist in placing leaves on the shelf and in advancing them forwardly of the shelf. At its far edge, however, the shelf is preferably inclined downwardly at a steeper slope 16, in order to permit looped leaves to be pushed readily from the shelf. In addition, the shelf has a needle receiving hole 17 and an elongated slot 18 extending a substantial distance transversely of the shelf. The free edge 19 of the shelf is parallel to the axis of the slot and projecting from that edge is a forward abutment 20 and a rearward abutment 21.

An upper guide plate 22 spaced above the shelf also projects from the back wall and includes an upwardly curved portion 23 confronting the operator and helping to guide leaves into the throat portion of the shield. This guide plate includes an elongated slot 24; an aperture 25 for receiving the needle; and an aperture 26 for mounting a fastening 27 such as a pin having a loading spring 28. Pivotally mounted above the upper plate is a leaf latch 29 urged to its normal lowered position by the spring and having a pair of inclined cam plates at its sides, one such plate being shown at 30. These cam plates include an abrupt vertical rear wall disposed slightly beyond the axis of movement of the needle in the direction of travel of the leaves and'also include a lower apex portion normally occupying a position close to but spaced above the surface of a shelf 13. The cam plate 30 moves in a plane outboard of the edge 19 of the shelf and its companion cam plate moves in a plane intersecting the slot 24. An aperture 31 in the latch receives the needle and as will later become apparent, when the latch is raised to its position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6 by action of the leaves moving across the shelf by the leaf-advancing means, those leaves will be properly indexed in their looping position when the latch thereafter returns to its'normal position under influence of the spring. The latch 29 has a rear edge which is nested in contact with an upstanding wall of the shield and about which the latch pivots in its movement from the solid to dotted positions seen in FIG. 6.

Considering now FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the bearing plate 12 may conveniently comprise a channel shaped member having a lower hole therethrough receiving a bearing bushing 40 in which a shaft 41 is journalled for oscillaa tory movement, and an upper hole receiving a bearing bushing 41 in which a looping member shaft 42 is journalled for oscillatory movement. Rigidly attached to one end of shaft 41 is a leaf-pushing lever 43 and to the other end a crank-arm 44. Adjacent its upper end the lever 43 has affixed thereto a bar 45 adapted to be pushed by the hand of the operator. Also afiixed to the lever is a second leaf-pushing member 46 having an upper portion 47 movable into the slot 24 of the upper guide plate of the shield, and a lower portion 48 movable within the slot 18 of that shield.

Pivotally attached to the upper end of a crank arm 44- is a link 50 which in turn is pivotally attached at its upper end to a needle-actuating slide 51. A laterally extending arm 52 attached to the upper end of this slide is adapted to carry the improved needle 100 of this invention and as seen in FIG. 1, the arm has a hole therethrough in which the needle may be vertically adjusted and then held rigidly in adjusted position, as by a set screw 53. The slide 51 may comprise an elongated hexagonal bar cradled for vertical movement between pairs of guide rollers and mounted in such a way as to eliminate malfunctioning due to extraneous material becoming trapped in the moving parts. Such a mounting may comprise a box-like housing open at each end and including a pair of side plates 54 and 55 attached to the edges of the bearing plate and with a spacer member 56 serving to complete the box-like structure. Rigidly attached to side plate 54 as by threaded bolts 57 and 58 is a short hexagonal bar 59 having an upper pair of rollers and a lower pair of rollers rotatably mounted thereon, in contact with two adjacent respective sides of the hexagonal slide 51, all as disclosed in said co-pending application. Adjustably attached to plate 55, as by set screws or the like 61 and 61 is another short hexagonal bar 62 having a centrally located pair of rollers 63 and 64 (FIG. 3) mounted thereon in rolling contact with another two adjacent respective sides of the slide 51 and with these two sides of that slide being diametrically opposite the sides thereof against which the first mentioned pairs of rollers are in contact.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the described structure normally occupies a position in which slide 51 is in its lowermost position thus bringing needle 100 into its lowermost position and with the leaf-pushing lever 43 resting against abutment 21 of the shelf and forming no obstruction to the placing of leaves on that shelf ahead of that lever. The forward movement of lever 43 and cone spondingly the upper movement of slide 51 and of needle 100 is limited by the contact of lever 43-against the other abutment 20 on that shelf.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, the slide 51 has attached thereto on its face confronting the bearing plate 12 an elongated cam plate '70 having a vertically extending cam slot 71 therein and with a laterally extending portion 72 near the top end of that slot. The cam plate is suitably spaced from the slide as by a pair of pins 73 and 74 to avoid interference of the slide movement with the supporting or cradling rollers. Rotatably confined within the slot is a roller 75 journalled upon a short shaft 76 the outer end of which is aifixed to one end of a crank arm 77. The other end of this arm is rigidly attached to the looping member shaft 42. Accordingly, when the roller 75 occupies a position in the vertically extending slot 71 the shaft 42 will occupy the relative position shown in FIGS. 7B and 7D at one extreme position of oscillation and when the roller 75 occupies a position at the extreme upper end of slot portion 72 corresponding to the lowermost position of slide 51, the shaft 42 will occupy the relative position shown on FIGS. 7A and 70, which is its other extreme position of oscillation.

Considering now FIGS. to 13, the present invention includes in combination with the above-described structure an improved looping member for attachment to the shaft 42 and for carrying out its looping function below the shelf 13 and out of contact with the tobacco being handled. This looping member preferably comprises a suitably molded, cast, or machined block of material having a base portion 80 with a bore therethrough for receiving shaft 42 and with a set screw 81 extending into that bore for adjustably fastening the member both axially and angularly upon that shaft in the optimum position. The block has a wall 82 extending upwardly from the base and recessed along one side to form a generally vertical fiat face 83 extending upwardly for a substantial distance. During the respective movements of the needle and looping member the extreme lower tip of that needle, as later to be described, will pass diagonally and in close proximity to the face 83 and will hold the string close to that face without kinking of the string. At its top the looping member includes a forwardly projecting hook portion 84 terminating in a tip '79 and, as a significant feature, a flat bottom string-receiving recess having both a forwardly facing section 85 beneath the hook portion and a side section 86 extending above the wall 82 is provided. The recess serves to prevent the curved tip of the needle from carrying the string downwardly away from the looping member as the needle descends and prior to the time when the looping member is to be moved to its retracted position for shedding the loop. That is, the recess assists the looping memebr in maintaining its open loop until the needle enters that loop and this is done by the firm hold on the string resulting from that string being positioned in the recess.

As will be understood, the needle reciprocates in a vertical line and the looping member oscillates about the horizontal axis of shaft 42 with the result that the relative path of travel of the tip of the needle with respect to the Hat side wall 83, while these elements are in proximity to each other, may be represented by a line A B as shown in FIGS. 7A and 73. Accordingly, as seen in FIGS. 8 and 11, the tip of the needle may move in a plane C-D near the plane of the wall portion 83, and conversely the tip 79 of the hook portion 34 may move in a plane E-P near the plane of the scarf 106 of the needle, later to be described. The entry of the descending needle into the loop near the center of that loop may thus be assured.

In accordance with the invention, the needle 100 is constructed so as to guide the string 101 into optimum position with respect to the looping member and with respect to the leaves of tobacco being looped. This needle preferably has a groove 102 in its back face and leading into an eye 103 adjacent the lower end of the needle. At its upper end the needle is provided with a suitable flat surface 104 serving in conjunction with the set screw 53 in the arm 52 to orient the needle properly with respect to the looping member. In order to prevent undue pull on the supply of string and to avoid the danger of undesirable slack in string fed to the looping member, the eye 103 slants downwardly in the direction of feed of the str ing from the needle. The needle, moreover, is formed at its lower end with a symmertically and laterally curved tip 105, the extreme end of which moves closely adjacent the wall portion 83 of the looping member. The side of the needle confronting the looping member also is formed with a flat scarf surface 106 along the face of which the hook portion 84 of the looping member may sweep in close proximity during the oscillatory movement of that looping member.

Considering now FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D, the operation of the apparatus includes the following cycle. With a string 101 threaded through the eye of the needle and with a portion 110 of string extending forwardly of the shelf 13, the operator places a group 111 of tobacco leaves longitudinally of the shelf and with the stem ends of the same indexed against the back wall 14 of the shield. At this time, the movable parts of the apparatus occupy the positions seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 and with the IL? needle and looping member occupying the general relative positions shown in FIG. 7A.

Upon pushing lever 43 forwardly until it strikes abutment 20, both the needle reciprocating means and the looping member oscillating means are actuated in dependence upon the movement of that lever, and at the same time the lever 43 and the member 48 advance the group 111 of leaves across the shelf to a position forwardly of the needle path and behind the latch wall 3t).

As this takes place, the needle meanwhile has risen so that the leaves can be so advanced, and these leaves are partially looped by the string portion 112 seen in FIG. 78. Also, the looping member has moved forwardly and its hook portion 84 has engaged the string beneath the shelf, confined it in the recess portions 85, 36, and formed it into an open loop, as best shown in FIG. 9.

The operator then releases lever 43 and allows it to fall into contact with abutment 21, whereupon the needle descends and the looping member retracts. A second group 113 of leaves are then placed on the shelf. During the downward movement of the needle, however, the tip 105 of the same has passed downwardly from point A on the face of that looping member and the scarf 106 has come into position alongside the hook 84 of the looping member before shaft 42 starts to turn. This timing, of course, is secured through the design of the cam slots 71 and 72 shown in FIG. 5. It is during this downward movement of the needle to complete the looping of the group 111 of leaves that looping apparatus is particularly susceptible to malfunctioning, and which disadvantage the present invention overcomes. Referring now to FIG. 9, the invention includes the provision of a generous sized hole 17 in the shelf which not only is large enough to receive the curved end of the needle but also has a configuration on its rear edge 90 which will not direct the portions of the string crossing that edge toward contact with each other. This may be done by providing corner portions 91 and 92 of the aperture into which those portions of the stringwill normally be guided. The size of the aperture 17 also is large enough to permit the ready passage therethrough of the loop, which is formed below the shelf and which later moves to above that shelf in sur rounding relation to the lowered needle. Moreover, as the needle moves downwardly to the position seen in FIG. 7C several significant actions occur. Firstly, the needle carries the string portion 112 completely around the group 111 of leaves and the tip of the needle enters the open loop held by the looping member below the shelf prior to the time that member retracts. As the member retracts, it sheds the loop and this action is assisted by the curved cut-away rear surface 93 on the back portion of the hook, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12. This curved surface permits the eye of the needle to move into the central region of the open loop even if the string is kinked. It will also be noted that the inclined eye 103 simultaneously cooperates by avoiding the pulling of slack into the string and also the corners of the apertures 17 are cooperating in holding the string in a fully opened loop form.

Accordingly, as the needle moves into its lowermost position and the looping member retracts, the tension placed on the string by the advanced group 111 of leaves lifts the loop portion 114 of the string through the aperture 17, as seen in FIG. 7C. In addition, the looping member is formed with a cam surface 94 extending forwardly of and downwardly from its junction with the recess 35, and as the looping member retracts, the abovementioned loop slips easily from its formerly secured position in recesses 85, 86. Moreover, the looping member includes a sloping surface 95 joining the flat surface 83 to the hook portion and merging with the cutaway rear surface 93, as best seen in FIG. 13.

Upon completion of one cycle of operation after reaching the position shown in FIG. 7C, the next group of leaves 113 is partially looped as the needle rises to the o position shown in FIG. 7D and will be completely looped when the needle next descends. The described cycle may be repeated as long as desired by the operator depending upon the number of groups of leaves to be looped.

The apparatus is compact and with a comparatively small number of cooperating parts which are required to move. The described features of the needle and of the looping member having been found in practice to contribute materially to a stoppage-free operation.

While in accordance with the patent statutes I have shown what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention, and I therefore intend, in the appended claims, to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

'What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. For use in the looping of string around groups of tobacco leaves, a stringing mechanism including a needle movable between a raised position and a lowered position and having a laterally extending curved lower tip with a string-receiving eye therein inclined downwardly in the direction of said curved tip and a longitudinally extending cut-away portion above the exit of said eye and providing a flat surface, a looping member movable between a retracted position out of contact with the string and a loop-forming position in contact with the string, said member comprising a block having a flat wall confronting said needle and movable in a plane closely approaching the plane of travel of the extreme end of said needle tip, said block including a hook portion having a projecting tip for engaging string fed through said eye and arranged for travel in a plane closely approaching the plane of travel of the flat surface of said cutaway portion of the needle, and intermediate the planes of tnavel of said flat wall and of said cut-away portion, said block having a string-receiving recess extending beneath said hook portion and continuing along the side of the block opposite the flat wall thereof, means for reciprocating said needle between its upper and lower positions, and means for oscillating said member between its retracted and its loop-forming positions.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said needle includes a longitudinally extending string-guiding groove on the side thereof opposite said cut-away portion of said needle, said needle groove terminating at its lower end at the entrance to said eye.

3. For use in the looping of string around groups of tobacco leaves, a stringing mechanism including a needle movable between a raised position and a lowered position and having a laterally extending curved lower tip with a string-receiving eye therein inclined downwardly in the direction of said curved tip and a longitudinally extending cut-away portion above the exit of said eye and providing a flat surface, a looping member movable between a retracted position out of contact with the string and a loop-forming position in contact with the string and characterized by its ability to hold the string in proper position while moving to said loop-forming position and its ability to shed the string while moving to said retracted position, said member comprising a block having a flat wall confronting said needle and movable in a plane closely approaching the plane of travel of the extreme end of said needle tip, said block ineluding a generally triangular hook portion at its top terminating inan apex tip adapted to engage string fed through said eye and arranged for travel in a plane closely approaching the plane of travel of the flat surface of said cut-away portion of said needle and intermediate the planes of travel of said flat wall and of said cut-away portion, said block having a string-receiving recess extending beneath the hook portion reanw ardly of said apex tip and continuing along the side of said block opposite the flat wall thereof, means for reciprocating said needle between its upper and lower positions, and means for oscillating said member between its retracted and its loopforming positions.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said looping member includes an upwardly directed inclined camming surface at its forward face, said camming surface terminating at the entrance to said recess under said hook portion thereof and assisting in shedding the string smoothly as saidlooping member moves toward its retracted position.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said looping member includes an upwardly directed inclined cam- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 568,946 Hanna Oct. 6, 1896 1,030,619 Smith June 25, 19.12 1,483,558 Sponsel Feb. 12, 1924 2,327,252 Dickerson Aug. 17, 1943 2,896,797 Bell July 28, 1959 

1. FOR USE IN THE LOOPING OF STRING AROUND GROUPS OF TOBACCO LEAVES, A STRINGING MECHANISM INCLUDING A NEEDLE MOVABLE BETWEEN A RAISED POSITION AND A LOWERED POSITION AND HAVING A LATERALLY EXTENDING CURVED LOWER TIP WITH A STRING-RECEIVING EYE THEREIN INCLINED DOWNWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID CURVED TIP AND A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CUT-AWAY PORTION ABOVE THE EXIT OF SAID EYE AND PROVIDING A FLAT SURFACE, A LOOPING MEMBER MOVABLE BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE STRING AND A LOOP-FORMING POSITION IN CONTACT WITH THE STRING, SAID MEMBER COMPRISING A BLOCK HAVING A FLAT WALL CONFRONTING SAID NEEDLE AND MOVABLE IN A PLANE CLOSELY APPROACHING THE PLANE OF TRAVEL OF THE EXTREME END OF SAID NEEDLE TIP, SAID BLOCK INCLUDING A HOOK PORTION HAVING A PROJECTING TIP FOR ENGAGING STRING FED THROUGH SAID EYE AND ARRANGED FOR TRAVEL IN A PLANE CLOSELY APPROACHING THE PLANE OF TRAVEL OF THE FLAT SURFACE OF SAID CUT-AWAY PORTION OF THE NEEDLE, AND INTERMEDIATE THE PLANES OF TRAVEL OF SAID FLAT WALL AND OF SAID CUT-AWAY PORTION, SAID BLOCK HAVING A STRING-RECEIVING RECESS EXTENDING BENEATH SAID HOOK PORTION AND CONTINUING ALONG THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK OPPOSITE THE FLAT WALL THEREOF, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID NEEDLE BETWEEN ITS UPPER AND LOWER POSITIONS, AND MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID MEMBER BETWEEN ITS RETRACTED AND ITS LOOP-FORMING POSITIONS. 